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No. 42. Copy of a DESPATCH from the Right Hon. Sir Michael Hicks Beach to the Officer Administering tbe Government of New Zealand. (Circular.) Sir,— Downing Street, 7th March, 1879. With reference to my circular despatch of the 24th of April last, enclosing regulations with regard to the interchange of visits between officers of Her Majesty's ships and Governors, Lieutenant-Governors, Administrators, and Presidents of colonies, I have the honor to state that, questions having been raised respecting these regulations, it has been considered desirable to revise them; and I now transmit to you copies of the new rules, for insertion in any volumes of the colonial regulations in use in the colony under your government. 2. You will observe that, under the new regulations, provision has been made for paying and returning visits in certain cases by deputy, and that it is provided that officers acting temporarily in higher civil offices or commands are, in respect to visits, to be upon the same footing as if they were confirmed in such ofiices or commands. 3. The Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty have stated, in reply to a reference made to them on the subject, that the words " in command" in the regulations are used to designate all officers who may be in command of any of Her Majesty's ships, and are not intended to mean the senior only of the officers in command of vessels when two or more are present in port at the same time. I have, &c, M. E. HICKS BEACH. The Officer Administering tbe Government of New Zealand.

Enclosure in No. 42. Chapter XIX. Interchange of Visits between Officers of Her Majesty's Ships and Governors, LieutenantGovernors, Administrators, and Presidents of Colonies. (Sec. 431.) 1. A Governor is to receive the first visit from all naval officers iii command. 2. A Lieutenant-Governor is to pay the first visit to a flag-officer or commodore of the first class, being a commander-in-chief; but to receive the first visit from all other officers. 3. An Administrator or President is to pay the first visit to all flag-officers or commodores, but to receive the first visit from all other officers. 4. Return visits are to be paid within twenty-four hours, and in person, to all flag-officers, commodores, Lieutenant-Governors, Administrators, and Presidents; but by an aide-de-camp or other officer deputed by the Governor, Lieutenant-Governor, Administrator, or President, as the case may be, to all other naval officers. 5. Should the Governor or any other officer administering the government of a colony find that from indisposition or pressure of important business he is unable to pay or return these visits in person, he will depute his aide-de-camp or some other officer to do so. In like manner, should a flag-officer or commodore, from indisposition or pressing occupation, be precluded from paying or returning these visits, he will depute his flag-lieutenant, or other officer not below that rank, to do so. In each case the officer failing to pay the required visit in person will report the circumstance, and assign the reasons which led to the omission, to the department under which he is acting. 6. Officers acting temporarily in higher civil offices or commands are iu respect to these visits to he upon the same footing as if they were confirmed in such offices or commands. 7. The senior naval officers present will arrange, when necessary, to provide suitable boats to enable Governors, &c., to pay any official visits afloat, and to re-land them, on their notifying their wishes to that effect.

No. 43. Copy of a DESPATCH from the Right Hon. Sir Michael Hicks Beach to the Officer Administering the Government of New Zealand. (Circular.) Sir,— Downing Street, 18th March, 1879. With reference to Lord Carnarvon's circular despatch of the 16th of January, 1878, I have the honor to transmit to you, for publication in the colony